Sore throat and tonsillitis

A throat swab culture or a rapid test is taken from patients with clear signs of tonsillitis without other respiratory symptoms (usually indicating a viral infection, e.g., rhinitis, cough, hoarseness). Antibiotics are indicated in infections caused by group A streptococci. A peritonsillar abscess should be identified and treated immediately. The source of infection should be identified in recurrent tonsillitis. Epidemics should be recognized and their spread prevented by giving antimicrobial treatment also to carriers (even when caused by group C or G streptococci).